Lady Cinderella - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Lady Cinderella Episode 41

Thanks to its position at the crossroads of trade, the Wellington Duchy was raking in an enormous amount of brokerage income. On top of that, the war indemnities the Grand Duke earned by throwing himself into the fighting were no small sum either. It wouldn’t hurt to take stock of what he actually owned. Besides, Patricia’s parting words kept nagging at him.
“Whether Ella is worth anything is for Your Excellency to decide.”
He didn’t like the idea of anyone daring to put a price on Ella, yet somehow he felt an urge to show off to them. If he had money to spare for those people, wouldn’t it be better to give Ella a gift that would leave her utterly astonished? Grinning from ear to ear, he gave his order to Kevin.
“Kevin, I need you to look into something.”
“Command me, my lord.”
“How much property do I hold in my own name? Might as well take stock of it while we’re at it.”
“My lord?”
Kevin had badly underestimated a man in love. Calaile began counting off, one by one, the mines and plots of land he had purchased as investments apart from the duchy’s holdings, going down the list as each one came to mind.
“The mine in the Yolo Mountains was quite sizable, wasn’t it? And the tax revenue from the farmland in Biston was rather high, too.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m not joking.”
Every name he rattled off belonged to prime real estate, and their worth was beyond calculation. He couldn’t spend the family’s fortune carelessly, so he began drawing up a list of only the spoils he had won personally on the battlefield. After all, to him they were little more than a bonus. Calaile, mulling over what to give Ella with these, eventually began humming a tune.
‘So that’s what she was after.’
Judging by how cheerful the Grand Duke was even after an unwelcome visit, that woman must have roped in her parents to sweet-talk the naive man. Unaware of how completely wrong he had got it, Kevin’s fists began to tremble.
* * *
While Calaile was still lost in his mountain of paperwork, Kevin made his way straight to the Inner Residence under the pretext of other business. Ella had finished her meal outside and returned safely, and she was in the middle of embroidery. The vast collection of books in Wellington was a treasure trove to Ella. Today, too, she was happily indulging her hobby, mending a dress, when Kevin entered after a knock.
“Everyone, step away for a moment.”
At the words of Kevin, the Grand Duke’s chief secretary, Karen and the maids left their posts.
“What’s going on?”
“Would all of you please leave for a while?”
His expression was so forbidding that Miro tried to mediate, but he only got a cold dismissal. Once he had sent everyone out, Kevin looked down at Ella with an icy face.
“How truly remarkable you are, Lady Ellaydis.”
“Pardon?”
“Why of all people the Grand Duke? Did my master look like an easy target to you?”
I had meant to give Calaile the cravat I’d prepared this evening and tell him my feelings had softened. I’d heard Mary’s words and reflected a great deal on how refusing his kindness so often was not showing him proper courtesy. But to think I’d treat him as an easy target—that was a true misunderstanding. Ella had never once thought of Calaile that way.
“I don’t understand a single word you’re saying.”
“My lady is truly clever. Impressive, in fact. You certainly know how to move the Grand Duke’s heart.”
“Kevin, stop being sarcastic and just tell me plainly. Only then can I understand.”
Though she couldn’t hide her bewilderment at the torrent of accusations, Ella soon regained her composure. Kevin had never looked kindly on her, so she needed to find out what he had heard and from whom to come at her like this.
“Earlier, your parents came to see you.”
“And?”
“They brazenly demanded money from the Grand Duke and then left. And now His Grace is drawing up a list of his property—mines, land, everything.”
It felt as though she’d been struck on the head. Today Ella had been overjoyed to have earned two hundred gold for finishing the empress’s embroidery of cloth. It was the largest sum she had ever earned in her entire life. But mines and land—surely even that price would seem laughably small beside such a vast fortune. The mention of an amount she couldn’t even imagine made Ella feel as though the blood was draining from her body.
‘Good heavens.’
She never imagined her shameless parents would go so far. As the old saying goes, good people never know how wicked the wicked can become, and Ella had no idea how far they could fall.
“I’ll tell His Grace myself. I have to stop this.”
“I can’t make heads or tails of you. What on earth do you want, staying by my master’s side?”
To Kevin, Calaile had been the one and only master he had raised with devoted care since childhood. That excessive loyalty had clouded his eyes. He had never imagined that the Grand Duke, who acted more seasoned than his peers, would ever run into trouble over a woman.
Now that the Grand Duke had a woman he cared for, he displayed the classic behavior of a doting fool, handing over his liver and gall bladder without a second thought. Once a naive man meets the wrong woman, there truly is no cure. Even if it went against the Grand Duke’s own wishes, Kevin would never tolerate anyone who harmed his master, even if it meant a blade at his own throat.
“Our Grand Duke is the pillar that holds up this entire Grand Duke’s Residence. Don’t you dare toy lightly with the heart of such a man.”
“That’s not true!”
Ella, unable to hold back any longer, flared up. Toy with him? Far from helping the benefactor who had changed her life, how could she ever harbor such a thought? How could he say such things when he knew nothing at all? Ella’s anger rose to the very top of her head.
“I swear on heaven. I would never do anything to harm Cal.”
“Then stop this matter. I pray that what you just said is truly sincere.”
It grated on her that he kept up his sneering to the very end, but Ella pretended not to hear and hurried out of the room. She had been badly frightened by a problem she never expected. Considering what her parents had done, it was no wonder Kevin was acting this way. If Calaile actually gave her something, how would Ella ever be able to pay the price for it?
Such overwhelming love, something she had never experienced in her life, was simply too much for Ella to bear. She would have been grateful enough if he had only acted as her guardian, yet he always gave her more than that, shaking her heart. Something damp trickled down her cheek. She didn’t realize it was tears until she reached the door of Calaile’s study.
“Please announce me to His Grace.”
“Your Grace, Lady Ella has arrived.”
“Ell? Tell her to come right in.”
Thankfully, Calaile welcomed Ella warmly. As she wiped away her tears with her sleeve and stepped inside, Calaile had already come out from behind his desk on his long legs to meet her at the door.
“What brings you here… Why are your eyes like that? Have you been crying?”
“Father, Father came by, he said.”
“Who told you about that?”
Ella was so out of breath from hurrying that she could barely get the words out. Calaile shot a glare at Kevin, who had followed close behind. Even though this was something he had meant to handle on his own, Kevin clearly couldn’t hold back and had gone and stirred everything up again by running to Ella.
“Kevin, what on earth—!”
“Of course I should know. Don’t shut my eyes and ears.”
Calaile brought her to the sofa, patted her back so she could catch her breath, and gave the hand that had grown damp from her tears a light lick.
“What did you hear that made you rush over here like this?”
“You went to collect money, didn’t you?”
As she trembled, Calaile stroked her hair diligently and weighed his options. Ella was kind and sincere. If he left her with a debt of the heart, she would feel burdened by it and would find it hard to leave his side. Watching him press a kiss to her fingertip, Ella shook her head.
“I really hate this. I’m not joking right now.”
“I’ll handle everything.”
Even if it was meant for her own sake, Ella did not want to hear words like these. She understood he was generous, but this time, she simply could not accept it. Ella clenched her fists and stared at Calaile.
“Do you really think they’ll stop there? Honestly?”
Her knowledge came only from years of study at a desk, yet Ella had learned quite a lot. It was better to cut the chain of malice at its root. Just because they wanted something did not mean she was obliged to grant it.
“Then what?”
“If you truly mean it for my sake, then drive them out of this capital. Make sure they never come back.”
It was a request she had forced out through clenched teeth, as if spitting blood. Calaile gripped her trembling hand tightly and soothed her gently.
“El, calm down and let’s talk this through.”
“Cal.”
“I’ll do everything you ask. So please, don’t make that face.”
She had cried her heart out and her face had crumpled beyond repair, so she must look utterly ridiculous by now. She had held on with composure until now, but this was truly her limit. Ella sniffled, wiped her tears, and let out a sigh.
“Don’t look at my face. It must look strange.”
“It doesn’t look strange at all.”
When Ella tried to lower her head again, Calaile deliberately lifted her chin and kissed her fiercely. It was a very different kiss from the last one. It was rougher and lacked consideration, but it wasn’t bad either. Ella wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and surrendered her lips to him as he forced his way in without restraint.
Some time passed. Only after his excitement had somewhat settled did Calaile slowly pull away. It had been a sudden kiss, but Ella caught her breath, which had been stifled, and touched her bitten lip.
“That hurt.”
“It was so delicious that I couldn’t help myself.”
“I’m not food.”
“Of course. You’re the most beautiful fiancée in the whole world.”
Calaile pulled Ella into his arms and flopped back onto the bed. Ella, too, had been drawn close around the waist, and before she knew it, she found herself sprawled on top of him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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